Apparatus for applying and removing hose-couplings, nipples, bands, &amp;c.



I A. J. SARJEANT. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING HOSE COUPLINGS, NIPPLES, BANDS, 6L0. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 1918- 1,342,763. N Patented June 8, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. J. SARJEANT.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING HOSE COUPLINGS, NIPPLES, BANDS, 6L0.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-20, I918.

1,342,763. Patented June's, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING HOSE COUPLINGS, NIPPLES, BANDS, &c.

\ APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 1918.

1,342,763. Patented June 8,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- rg qlrllll 9 if 95 f? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER JAMES SARJEANT, OE PORT HURON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- EOURTI-I T0 WILLIAM B. ROBESON AND ONE-FOURTH TO AARON M. ROSE, BOTH OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING HOSE-COUPLINGS, NIPPLES, BANDS, &c.

Application filed November 20, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER J. SAR- JEANT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Applying and Removing Hose-Couplings, Nipples, Bands, &c., of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to apparatus which is especially adapted to facilitate the application of coupling elements, nipples, bands and the like to hose, and the removal of such parts from the hose.

Previous to my invention, in making up complete hose sections it was the common practice to apply the coupling elements and nipples to such sections by manually forcing the same into the ends thereof, and to then tighten the nuts on the bolts of bands placed on the end portions of the hose sections for holding the coupling elements and nipples in place, by means of hand wrenches. The operations of removing the bands, nipples, and coupling elements from the completed hose sections, when it was desired to disassemble the latter, were also performed manually. Therefore, much time and labor were required to make up and disassemble hose sections, andwhere many of such sections were handled, as for example in railway shops, in which air hose sections for use in connection with the air brakes of railroad trains are continuously being assembled and taken apart,the expense involved was very great.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of an improved machine or apparatus whereby the operations above described may be performed mechanically and with great rapidity so that the hose sections may be made up and disassembled very easily and quickly. In this connection, it may be noted that with the specific apparatus shown and described herein, thirty complete air hose sections can be made up in an hour.

My invention also resides in an apparatus of this character which is simple in construction and which is easy and very safe to operate.

Other objects and features of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 263,286.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood attention is directed to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which:

F lgure 1 is a view in front elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, showing a hose section mounted therein and the parts of the apparatus in the position they occupy either directly after applying the coupling element and nipple to the ends of the sec tion or immediately before removing such parts from the section;

Fig. 2 is a View in end elevation, partly in section, looking from the right in Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4. and 5 are enlarged fragmental plan views showing details of construction:

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in elevation; partly in section, of a complete hose section such as shown in F 1 and which my apparatus is designed to make up and disassemble; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in elevation of one of the bands used for holding the coupling element and nipple of the hose in place.

Referring to the drawings, reference character A represents the frame of the apparatus which comprises a horizontal platform or top 1, suitably supported by front and rear legs or standards 2 and 3 respectively, end braces 4: (only one of which is shown) respectively connecting the corresponding pairs of legs 2 and 3 at the ends of the frame, a pair of horizontal angle beams or braces 5 and 6 connecting the end braces l, and a vertical standard or support 7 which is mounted at its lower end on the brace or beam 6 and extends through and projects a considerable distance above the platform 1.

A portion of the platform 1 is preferably formed of a U-shaped channel beam presenting a flat top surface and constitutes a hose table 8, the remainder of the platform being conveniently made of wood. Suitably secured to the top of the hose table 8, preferably directly in front of the standard 7, is a block 9 having a curved groove 10 formed in the upper side thereof and extending in the direction of the length of the table 8. Reference character 11 represents a block similar to block 9 disposed directly above the latter and provided in its lower side with a groove 12 similar to the groove 10 and adapted to register therewith so as to receive a hose section H. A cross section of each of the grooves 10 and 12 is preferably slightly less than a semi-circle so that when the blocks 9 and 11 are closely adjacent each other, as shown in Fig. 1, they will be adapted to securely clamp and hold a hose section therebetween. The block 11 is mounted on a head 13 secured to the lower end of a piston rod 14, the latter being connected at its upper end to a piston, not shown, in a vertically disposed cylinder 15, which is mounted on the standard 7 adjacent the upper end thereof. l'nlet pipes 16 and 17 are respectively connected at one end of the bottom and top of the cylinder 15 and at their other end through a threeway valve or 0001118 to a pipe 19 which, in turn, is connected with source of supply (not shown) of fluid under pressure, such as compressed air. The valve 18 is provided'with a handle 20 for operating the same.

Pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 21 secured to the head 13 on the lower end of piston rod 14, and extending through a slot 22 in said head, is a lever 23. The forward end of this lever has rigidly secured thereto. as by means of a pin 24, and depending therefrom a chisel or cutter 25 which is adapted to cooperate with a cutting block 26 suitably secured to the table 8 in front of the block 9. The lever 23 extends rearwardly through an opening 27 provided in the standard 7, and has a screw 28 threaded through its rear end and bearing on the upper side of the base of a U-shapcd horizont l bracket 29 which is suitablv secured to and extends rearwardly from the standard 7. The operation and purpose of the cutter will. be hereinafter described.

Guides 30 and 31, suitably secured to the table 8 some distance beyond the ends of the block 9 respectively, are provided with guideways 32 extending longitudinally of the hose table 8 and in alinement with the grooves 10 and 12 of blocks 9 and 10. Members 33 and 34 are respectively mounted on guides 30 and 31 for sliding movement, in the guideways 32 thereof, toward and from the respective ends of the blocks 9 and 11. The member 33 is provided at its outer end with an upstanding vertical portion 35 to which a block 36 is removably secured at its outer end, as by means of a screw 37. The inner end portion of block 36 is preferably recessed on its upper side so as to exactly conform to and provide a seat for the coupling member or other part which it is desired to apply to or remove from the adj cent end of a hose section held between the blocks 9 and 115 and an arm 38 is pivotally mounted, as by means of a vertical screw on the upper side of the outer end portion of this block whereby it may be swung to and from the position shown in Fig. 1, so as to either firmly hold the coupling member or other part in its seat or permit the ready removal thereof from the seat. The block 36 may readily be replaced by another block having a recess conformin in shape and. size to any coupling member or other part which it is desired to apply to or remove from the hose section. Member 34 is also provided with an upstanding portion 40; the latter, however, preferably being located a slight distance from the inner end of this member so as to provide a seat for the nipple or other part which it is desired to apply to the adjacent end of a hose section held between the blocks 9 and 11. The portion 40 is also provided with a rectangular opening 41 therethrough preferably so located as to be substantially in alinement with a hose section 1-1 when the latter is held by the members 9 and 11, as shown in Fig. 1. The opening 41 is adapted to receive the handles of a pair of tongs T, the purpose of which will presently be described.

Reference characters 42 and 43 represent a pair of hell crank levers which are respectively pivotally mounted on horizontal pim 44 and 45 extendin in a direction at right angles to the guideways 32 of guides 30 and 31 and mounted at their ends respectively in the longitudinal brace or beam 5 and a pair of brackets or stirrups 46 and 47 secured to the front of the latter. The upper end portions of the vertically extending long arms 48 and 49 of these bell crank levers respectively extend through longitudinally extending slots provided in the table 1 and the bottoms of guides 30 and 31, and have pin and slot connections 50 and 51 with the members 33 and 34. A cylinder 52 is suitably secured to the standard 7 below the platform 1 and preferably in vertical alinement with the cylinder 15. A piston (not shown) disposed in cylinder 52 is secured to the upper end of a piston rod 53 which extends into the cylinder and downwardly therefrom. The lower end of piston rod 53 has a head 54 rigidly secured thereto, and this head is pro vided with a horizontal recess or slot 55 extending thereinto from its lower side. The end portions of the horizontally extending short arms 56 and 57 of the bell crank levers 42 and 43, project into the recess 55 in the head 54 and respectively have pin and slot connections 58 and 59 with the latter. Inlet pipes 60 and 61 are respectively connected at one end to the lower and upper ends of cylinder 52, and at their other end through a three-way valve or cock 62 to the pipe 19 leading to the source of supply of fluid under pressure. A horizontal arm is connected to the valve 62 and extends forwardly therefrom, the forward free end thereof being provided or formed with a stirrup 64L adapted to receive the knee of an operator standment about horizontal axes which are par-' allel to the guideways 32 of guides 31 and 32, suitable bearings for these levers being provided on the top of hose table 8. The upper arms 67 and 68 of each pair of these levers are shaped as shown in Fig. 2 to constitute grips, and the levers are located and arranged so that when a hose section H for which the apparatus shown is adapted is held in proper position in the apparatus, the pairs of arms 67 and 68 will respectively embrace the hose section at the points where the bands employed to secure the coupling element and nipple in place are or should be located. The lower arms 69 and 70 of each pair of levers 65 and 66, extend a con siderable distance below the table 8, and the end portions thereof have pin and slot connections 71 and 72 respectively with the links or extension arms 73 and 74 which constitute a part of the levers 65 and 66 respectively. The upper ends of the arms 7 3 and 74 are provided with collars 75 and 76, preferably formed integrally therewith, through which the arms 69' and 70 of the levers 65 and 66 respectively extend. The collars 7 5 and 76 have set screws 77 threaded therethrough which when tightened serve to rigidly secure together arms 69 and 7 3 and arms 70 and 74. It will be apparent that by this construction the effective length of the lower composite arms of each pair of levers 65 and 66 may be readily adjusted as desired. Links 78 and 79 are respectively pivotally connected atone end to the lower ends of the links or extension arms 73 and 74: of each pair of levers and 66, and at their other end to a lever 80 intermediate the ends of the latter, as by means of a pivot pin 81. Each of the levers 80 is pivoted at its rear end, as at 82, to the lower end of a vertical standard or bracket 83 which is supported by and depends from the platform 1 of the frame and which is braced by a bar 84: secured thereto at one end and to the frame A at its other end. The lever 80 extends forwardly to a point in front of the frame A of the machine, and then downwardly in the form of an arm 85, the lower end of the latter being provided with a foot treadle 86 whereby the lever may be readily controlled by the foot of the operator. Each pair of links 78 and 79, which are respectively pivotally connected to the lower ends of one of the pairs of levers 65 and 66 and to the corresponding lever 80 by the pivot pin 81, constitutes a toggle joint, and avertical tension spring 87 connected at its ends to the table 8 and the pivot pin 81, constantly tends to break the toggle or to maintain the same in the position shown in Fig. 2. When in this position the lower arms of the levers 65 and 66 will be drawn toward each other and the upper arms 67 and 68 thereof spread apart. It is thus apparent that the levers are biased to inoperative position by means of the spring 87 acting thereon through the toggle. When the lever 80 is depressed by the foot of the operator the toggle will be straightened out, and the lower arms of levers 65 and 66 will be spread apart and the upper arms forced toward each other.

Fig. 6 shows a completed air hose section H such as the apparatus illustrated herein is especially designed to assemble and take apart. It consists of a short section of flexible hose 88 having a nipple 89 secured in and projecting from one end thereof and a coupling member or element 90 secured in and projecting from the other end thereof. Each of the cylindrical portions of the nip ple and coupling element which extend into the end portions of the hose section 88, is provided with an annular rib or projection, such as shown at 91 at the left in Fig. 6, and resilient metal bands or split rings 92 placed on the hose section 88 between the ends thereof and the adjacent ribs 91, are employed to securely hold the nipple and con. pling element in place. The ends of the bands 92 are provided with lugs 93 and 94, and bolts 95 extending through these lugs and having nuts threaded thereon serve to hold the bands firmly on. the hose sections to thereby maintain the latter compressed tightly against the nipple 89 and coupling element 90. The bands 92 tend to open slightly under their own resiliency with the ends thereof spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 7 and accordingly they may be easily slipped onto the hose and moved to the desired positions. The nipple 89is provided with a hexagonal. collar 96 which limits the insertion thereof into the hose section 68, and the coupling member or element 90 is provided with collar 97 which has a like function.

In applying the nipple, coupling element. and bands to a hose section by my improved apparatus, the block 11, if not already in raised position, is first moved to such position by turning the handle 20 of valve 18 to the left to permit compressed air, or other fluid under pressure. to pass from pipe 19 through inlet pipe 16 into the lower end of cylinder 15 and thereby effect the upward movement of the piston in the latter, the

piston rod 14:, and head 13; and the members 33 and 34: if not already in their outermost positions on the guides 36 and 31, where they spaced farthest apart, are moved to suen positions by turning the arm 63 connected with valve 62, to the left to allow compressed air, or other fluid under pressure, to pass from pipe 19 through inlet pipe 60 into the lower end ofcylinder 52 and thereby effect the upward movement of the piston in the latter, the piston rod 53, and. head 54, and the simultaneous movement of the bell crank levers 42 and 43 about their pivots in such directions as to move the arms 48 and 49 thereof away from each other. A hose section 88 is then placed in the groove 10 of block 9 with its end portions respectively extending beyond the ends of the latter, and the block 11 forced down against the upper portion of the hose section to securely clamp the section in the machine between the blocks 9 and 11, by turning the handle 20 of valve 18 to the right so as to permit compressed air to pass from pipe 19 through inlet pipe 17 into the upper end of cylinder 15 to thereby force the piston, piston'rod 14, and head 13 downwardly. After a band 92 has been loosely disposed on each of the extending end portions of the hose section, a coupling member or element 90 is placed in the seat therefor in block 36, the arm 38 is moved over the coupling element to hold the same in its seat, and a nipple 89 is placed against the member 34 in the seat provided therefor; Compressed air is then admitted into the upper end of cylinder 52 through inlet pipe 61, by turning the arm 63 connected with valve 62 to the right, and the piston rod 53 and head 54 are consequently forced clownwardly and the bell crank levers 42 and 43 moved simultaneously about their pivots in such directions as to move the long vertically extending arms 48 and 49 thereof and there by the members 33 and 34 toward each other. As the members 33 and 34 approach each other the operator directs the cylindrical end portions of the coupling member 90 and the nipple 89 into the adjacent ends of the hose section 88, the parts being so designed and arranged that this movement of said members is suflicient to bring the collars 96 and 97 of the coupling element and nipple substantially into engagement with the adjacent ends of the hose section, as shown in Fig. 1.

One of the resilient bands 92 is then moved to its proper position on the respective end portion of the hose section and turned so that its spaced apart lugs 93 and 94 extend upwardly. The corresponding lever 80 is now moved downwardly about its pivot 82 by the operator pressing down the treadle 86 thereof with his foot, thereby straightening the toggle consisting of links 78 and 79, forcing the lower arms of levers 65 and 66 apart and the upper arms 67 and 68 thereof toward each other. The arms or grips 67 and 68 of the levers 65 and 66 are thus brought close together, contracting the band 92 and forcing the same very tightly against the hose section SS'so as to compress the latter against the coupling member or nipple. Bolt 95 is then inserted through the openings therefor in the lugs 93 and 94 of this band, which lugs are now close together, and a nut is threaded on this bolt and tightened up with the fingers. The pressure on treadle S6 is now relieved, whereupon spring 87 breaks the toggle joint, moves the lower arms of the levers 65 and 66 toward each other, and the upper arms 67 and 68 away from each other, these parts and the lever 80 thus being returned to normal position as shown in Fig. 2. The same operations are repeated in applying the other band 92 to the opposite end portion of the hose section. The eflective length of the lower arms of each pair of levers 65 and 66 may be adjusted as hereinbefore described. Such adjustment serves to regulate the distance between upper arms or grips 67 and 68 when the toggle controlling these levers is straightened, and consequently adapts the levers to be used either in applying bands of different sizes, or in applying bands of the same size with varying degrees of tightness. As the bands 92 are initially tightened or gripped on the hose by levers 65 and 66, it is unnecessary to employ a wrench in order to sufficiently tighten the nuts of the band bolts 95.

The hose section H is now completely made up or assembled, and in order to re move the same from the apparatus, it is merely necessary to turn handle 20 of valve 18 to the left, thereby admitting compressed air into the lower end of cylinder 15 and raising the block 11 from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to move the arm 33 about its pivot pin 39 to such a position as 05 to permit the ready removal of the coupling member 90 from its seat in block 36.

In disassembling or taking apart a complete hose section H, such as shown in Fig.

6, by the apparatus illustrated herein, the 110 head 13, if not already in raised position is first moved to this position by admitting compressed air into the lower end of cylinder 15, as explained above. The hose section is now positioned so that the lugs 93 115 and 94 of one of the bands 92 rest on the cutting block 26 with the bolt 95 extending through those lugs in the path of the cutter or chisel 25, and compressed air is then admitted into the upper end of cylinder 15, 120 forcing head 13 and thereby chisel 25 downwardly to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and cutting the said bolt in two. The head 13 and chisel 25 are then raised by admitting compressed air into the lower end 125 of cylinder 15, and the bolt 95 holding the other band 92 is cut in two by repeating the operations just described. Both bands 92 are thus released. By properly adjusting screw-28, the downward effective movement 130 of the chisel 25 may be limited as desired. The head 13 and block 11 are now again raised by admitting compressed air into the lower end of the cylinder; and the hose sec tion is then placed in the roove 10 of the lower block 9, and securely clamped in the position shown in Fig. l by admitting compressed air into the upper end of the said cylinder and thus again forcing the head 13 and block 11 to their lower positions. The members and 34, if not already in their innermost positions, shown in Fig. 1, are then moved to such positions, by admitting compressed air into the upper end of cylinder 52, as explained above. The coupling member 90 is then positioned in the seat therefor in block 36, the arm 38 is moved to the proper position for holding the member 90 in said seat, and the handle ends of a pair of tongs T are disposed in the rectangular opening ll provided in the upstanding portion lO of member 34-. .The tong or gripping ends of the tongs T are held by the operator in a position to grip the collar 96 of the nipple 89. The arms 4:8 and it) of the bell crank levers 4-2 and a3, and thereby members 33 and 34 are then forced or moved away from each other to their outermost positions by admitting compressed air into the lower end of cylinder 52, as before described. The members 33 and 3-1- in so moving will entirely and simultaneously withdraw or remove the coupling member 90 and nipple 89 from the end portions of tllllOSQ section 88, such removal being facilitated by reason of the release of bands 92, as described above. It should be noted that as the member 34 moves toward its outermost position, the grip of the tongs T on the nipple 89 and the pull on the latter simultaneously increase. Compressed air is now admitted into the lower end of cylinder 15 to raise the head 13 and lock 11, and the hose section 88 removed from the machine.

The apparatus described may be operated very rapidly and with a great degree of safety, and as it is of simple construction and has but few parts to get out of order it is very serviceable and practical.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that numerous modifications and changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departure from the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to 'protect by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In apparatus of the class described, means for contracting a band onto a hose section comprising a pair of opposed levers pivoted intermediate their ends, one pair of the arms of said levers constituting grips adapted to embrace the hose section, and

means associated with the other pair of arms of said levers for controlling the movement of said grips toward and away from each other, the latter pair of arms being adjustable in length.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a pair of opposed levers pivoted intermediate their ends, the arms of said levers on one side of their pivots constituting grips adapted to embrace a hose section, each of the other arms of said levers comprising a pair of sections adj ustably connected whereby the length of such arms may be adjusted, an actuating lever for said pair of levers, a toggle joint connecting'said actuating lever with the ends of the adjustable arms of the opposed levers, and means tending to maintain said opposed levers in inoperative position.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a member for holding a hose section in fixed position, a cutter adapted to cut the band bolts of bands on hose sections, and unitary means for actuating said member and cutte 4;. In apparatus of the class described, a member for holding a hose section in fixed position, a cutter adapted to cut the band bolts of bands on hose sections, unitary means for actuating said member and cutter, and means for adjusting the operative movement of said cutter.

5. In apparatus of the class described, means for clamping a hose section in fixed position, means for controlling said clamping means comprising a reciprocatory member, and a cutter carried by said reciproca tory member adapted to cut the band bolts of bands on hose sections.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a member for holding a hose section in fixed position, means for operating said member comprising a reciprocatory member, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said reciprocatory member, a cutter carried by one end of said lever, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of the other end of said lever by said reciprocatory member.

' 7. In apparatus of the class described, a. table, means for holding a hose section in a fixed position on said table, a pair of members respectively slidably mounted on said table for movement toward and away from the ends of a hose section held in said position, and means for simultaneously moving said members comprising a pair of bell crank levers respectively having at one end thereof pin and slot connections with said members and a reciprocatory member having pin and slot connections with the other end of said levers.

8. In apparatus of the class described, means for holding a hose section in fixed position, and a member movable toward and away from a hose section held in said position, said member being provided with an opening for the reception of the handles of a pair of tongs.

9. In apparatus of the class described, means movable to clamp a hose section in a fixed position, devices movable to apply coupling elements, nipples and the like to and remove the same from the respective ends of a hose section held in such position, means comprising a motor'for actuating said devices, means for contracting bands onto the hose section when in such position, and a member movable with said clamping means for cutting the band bolts of bands on a hose section, substantially as described.

10. In apparatus of the class described, means movable to clamp a hose section in a fixed position, devices movable to apply coupling elements, nipples and the like to and remove the same from the respective ends of a hose section held in such position, means comprising a motor for actuating said de vices, means for contracting bands onto the hose section when in such position, a member for cutting the band bolts of bands on a hose section, and unitary means for actuating said clamping means and cutting member.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a support, means for holding a hose section in a given position on said support, a pair of devices respectively mounted on said support for movement toward and away from the ends of a hose section held in said position, and means for simultaneously moving said members comprising a pair of bell crank levers respectively having connection with such members and an actuating member having direct connection with both of such levers.

12. In apparatus of the class described, means for clamping a hose section in a fixed position, devices for applying coupling elements, nipples and the like to the respective ends of a hose section held in such position, and means operable independently of the clamping means for contracting bands onto the hose section when in such position.

13. In apparatus of the class described, means for clamping a hose section in a fixed position, devices for applying coupling elements, nipples and the like to the respective ends of a hose section held in such position, means operable independently of the clamping means for contracting bands onto the hose section when in such position, a member for cutting the band bolts of bands on a hose section, and unitary means for controlling the operation of said clamping means and cutting member.

1 1. In apparatus of the class described, means for clamping a hose section in a fixed position, devices for applying coupling elements, nipples and the like to the respective ends of a hose section held in such position, a member for cutting the band bolts of bands on a hose section, and unitary means for controlling the operation of said clamping means and cutting member.

This specification signed this fifth day of November, 1918.

ALEXANDER JAMES SARJEANT. 

